'MDC will never govern,' says Mugabe

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) will never govern in his lifetime and he is ready to fight on less than two weeks ahead of a tense run-off election.

"Should this country be taken by traitors... it is impossible," he said, referring to the MDC, in a speech at the burial of a former independence fighter.

"It shall never happen... as long as I am alive and those who fought for the country are alive.

"We are prepared to fight for our country and to go to war for it."

He also raised the spectre of war on Friday (local time) if Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who fell just short of an outright majority in a March first round, wins the run-off poll.

The veteran president, who has ruled since independence in 1980, has frequently portrayed Mr Tsvangirai as a puppet of former colonial power Britain and wealthy whites, thousands of whom lost their land when he launched a controversial program of farm expropriations at the turn of the decade.

"Once again we want to make it clear to the British and Americans that we are no one's subjects and will never be," Mr Mugabe said.

"This country shall not again come under the rule and control of the white man, direct or indirect. Never, ever.

"The British rule has gone, gone for ever. The white man is gone, never, ever will this country be ruled by a white man again."

Mr Mugabe also launched a new diatribe at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who called on Friday for "an end to violence, an end to repression ... and for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe."

"Brown, prime minister of Britain, continues to interfere in our internal affairs, making us a subject matter of British policy as if we remain a permanent colony of Britain," Mr Mugabe said.

Tsvangirai detained, Biti faces court

The Zimbabwe opposition's number two arrived in court on Saturday (local time) facing a treason charge, while police once again detained Mr Tsvangirai ahead of this month's presidential run-off.

Tendai Biti, secretary general of the MDC, arrived shortly after noon at a Harare court in handcuffs, escorted by an armed policeman.

He was wearing a green tracksuit and appeared to be in good health, a witness at the scene said. The court was due to examine the legality of his arrest.

Mr Biti was arrested on Thursday within minutes of flying back from South Africa after a long period abroad and whisked away by plain-clothed police.

A high court judge on Friday ordered police to produce him in court after they failed to reveal his whereabouts, and also ordered police to justify his arrest.

Meanwhile police detained Mr Tsvangirai for about two hours Saturday morning in the central town of Shurungwi before releasing him without charge.

The opposition leader, who faces Mr Mugabe in the June 27 run-off, has now been detained five times over the course of some 10 days as he seeks to campaign.

"We were detained for about two hours in Shurungwi but we have now left and we are proceeding with our rallies in the Midlands," Tsvangirai spokesman George Sibotshiwe said.

Authorities also returned one of the MDC's two campaign buses seized on Friday, he said.

"Our big bus has now been returned and meanwhile our lawyers are trying to make sure that the other small bus is also released," he said.